A Conversation With Modern Marriage
A Conversation With Modern Marriage
Gemma Bainbridge sat down with the up and coming Merseyside band ‘Modern Marriage’ to talk about sharing the bill on their first ever gig with Alan McGee, getting inspiration for song lyrics from a crappy Christmas present and a crappy mayor, self funding their debut album as an unsigned band and playing a board game with some hobbits!
Modern Marriage are a 3-piece rock/pop/alternative band from the banks of The River Mersey.
They took a break from the studio to share their quirky views on northern life with us at NSG.
GB: Hi, Thanks for letting us interview you today, some of us here at NSG magazine have seen a couple of your shows, so It’s nice to catch up with you finally. Who plays what in the band?
L: No problem and thanks for coming to see us! I’m Lewis Hall (L) and I’m the bassist in the band, with the odd foray of angry background shouting. The main shouting and crooning, as well as guitar playing, is left to frontman Ben Savage (B), while Danny Johnson (D) here is on drums.
GB: How are you all today? What have you been up to this morning?
B: Not bad thanks, had me toast so all’s well.
D: Well I had a very interesting morning as I was still out in town when the morning started but I managed to get home for 6 am, get up at 10 am and start recording in the studio at 2 pm, so still quite productive.
L: I’m doing good thanks mate, been ploughing away on word documents at work this morning I’m afraid.
GB: How long have you been together as a band and how did you all meet? Am I right in saying that you started out during lockdown?
L: The band started around about December 2020 after a few phone calls between me, Danny and our manager, Dave, who was the one looking to put a band together. At that point, there were a few other lads in the band, and we got to meet each other over video calls and bided our time for rehearsal spaces to open back up during the pandemic,in which time we did weekly music based quizzes with each other on group (video) calls (which was the style at the time). By the time we got into Sort Rehearsal Rooms in Liverpool in May 2021, me and Danny were pretty friendly with each other and had already established a degree of musical chemistry. Around about August, Ben came into the band and revolutionised the process, bringing lots of guitars, pedals and songwriting chops with him, and together we began to craft the sound we have now. Despite lockdown stifling the start-up process, I’m quite grateful for it personally, everything that’s happened has shaped the band that we have today.
GB: You’ve played a good few gigs already and you supported Alan McGee (founder of Creation Records) on his spoken word tour at The Cavern Club in Liverpool? That’s pretty big for a first show! How did that come about and was it a bit nerve-wracking?
D: Yeah, we’ve got a few under our belt now, I think we’ve done about 14 since December. But, yeah our first gig was pretty nerve wracking, but being our first one it was only to be expected and of course, it was a privilege to support Alan, once we got on stage my nerves were still there a bit, but I thought we played well for our first outing and I let out a big sigh of relief at the end of it. It all came about from our manager Dave sending messages and emails out to a few people, asking for a gig, like.. “can anyone put my new band on please?” We were itching to leave the rooms at Sort and get playing live. It was Nelly Taylor from Psyche Promotions, (a friend of Dave’s) who gave us a place on that bill, it was his show, he put that night on, so big thanks Nelly, and thanks to Dave too.
GB: ..and you’ve got a headline show at Jimmy’s here in Liverpool this month. Can you tell us about that and any other gigs you’ve got planned?
D: Yeah, on the 15th of July we’re gonna be headlining at Jimmy’s, this is personally one of my favourite venues we’ve played at and we’ll be returning after playing our 2nd ever show as a band there, at the back end of last year. We’re joined by our pals ‘DODGE’ who are a new band, playing their first proper gig and also our mates from Oldham, ‘Mercy Kelly‘, who we supported at that last gig at Jimmy’s, in December. We really can’t wait for this as it’s going to be our first “proper” headline show and a massive thank-you to Jeff Skellen from Running Steady for sorting this night for us. After Jimmy’s, we’ll be taking to Future Yard on August 13th to play an event celebrating Ben’s record shop, Skeleton Records, turning 50 years old.
GB: How is the live scene out there right now, post-pandemic?
D: The live music scene is definitely still getting back on its feet following the pandemic. Being a band formed during lockdown we’d never gigged pre-covid as a group, but from the gigs we’ve played so far, I must say I’ve had some of the best nights of my life. We’ve had the privilege to play with a lot of bands on our journey and this is by far my favourite thing about being in this band. Meeting people who you wouldn’t normally meet, enjoying the night with these new people and ending up as great mates by the end of it. We’ve also had the opportunity to play in some amazing venues around Liverpool and had the chance to branch out outside the city, playing Birkenhead, Chester and Preston.
GB: What is a ‘Modern Marriage‘ then? Where did the name come from?
L: Modern Marriage was initially my shout for the band name as we all pondered and collectively wrote down our own lists of suggestions during one week in the lockdown, (pre-formation of the band). Some others being bandied around were Pablo Fanque’s Fair, St. Rita and V.H.S. We’re a democratic lot in this band, most of the time, so it went down to a vote and Modern Marriage came out on top (cheers lads!). I nicked it from a Pulp B-side actually, that’s all about the malaise and monotony of long term relationships if you’re after some social commentary to tie to the name, but I really like the consonance of it, I think it rolls off the tongue well.
GB: What’s the long term goal for the band? What would you like to achieve?
L: My personal long-term goals with the band have pretty much changed as we’ve developed. I started off with the goal of being able to play live again, having done so just once in 2015, and I’ve done that now, multiple times with the band. At this point, my ambitions lie with releasing our music officially and being able to hold something we’ve made together in our hands, which hopefully isn’t too far off, but I’m careful not to get ahead of myself.
B: Yeah, pretty much what Lew just said, get the album finished, get signed, go as far as we can go and maybe album number 2 is just around the corner.
D: Again, I’ll just reiterate what the lads said there, but I think we’d all like to play some fezzies next year too.
GB: If you could have just one superpower, what would you choose and why?
D: I’ve always thought I’d make a good Spiderman so I’d just have his skills and I’d swing about like him.
L: Pause time so I can spend as much of it as I need in bed I reckon.
B: Superpowers aren’t a thing guys sorry to break that to you… Dan, I know you’ll be distraught. I’d probably agree to invisibility, just to trip people up and steal their dogs.
GB: What’s the best birthday present you guys have ever received?
D: The cowbell that the boys here got me comes close, but it’s gotta be Pokemon Emerald on GBA off my parents when I was like 8.
B: Me mum gave me an IKEA Flatpack for Christmas if that counts? Lewis did orchestrate getting me a kalimba this year though, so, thanks, Lew!
L: I literally can’t remember any birthday presents I’ve received apart from McCartney II on vinyl last year, so I’d probably say that. Having ‘Temporary Secretary’ in physical media is the best gift anyone can ask for.
GB: We see that you’ve been in the studio a lot this year. Are you guys recording an album? Who are you recording with and when can we hear something?
B: We are indeed recording an album, we’re recording with Andy Fernihough at 3rd Planet Studios in Liverpool. Andy’s great, he’s got a high tolerance for our sonic randomness. He’s even managed to make Lewis’s snoring come across as almost musical, a great guy. We should hopefully have something ready in a few months, watch this space!
GB: ..and you’ve been recording with a string quintet? That’s ambitious, how did that happen?
B: I wrote a song called IKEA Flatpack, based on my mum’s terrible Christmas present for me last year, so it seemed appropriate to put some strings on it to highlight the erm… ‘futuristic’ qualities of the music (I’m making this up)… My mum happens to play in a string quintet, so it seemed only fitting. She did at least thank me for writing the string part in C major so she didn’t have to play any “funny notes.”
GB: What can you tell us about the new songs? Any spoilers? You have a song called ‘Lobster Pot’, is that right?
B: Lobster Pot is a dedication to the former mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, and his unscrupulous activities, together with his fondness for Liverpool’s number one Tripadvisor destination, ‘The Lobster Pot‘ chippy. Weirdly, I wrote the song as an audition piece for Modern Marriage and turned up, presenting it for the (now departed) lead singer to have a go at. I had no idea that his name was also Joe Anderson! As for spoilers, we might have a surprise choice for our first single, something that our regular followers maybe aren’t expecting.
GB: You’re an unsigned, new band right now, how do you manage to finance all your recordings? Is it hard for new bands?
D: We’re very fortunate that we all have day jobs and we’re able to self fund our band so far, but if anyone wants to throw a record deal our way we won’t complain. Expensive being in a band innit? hahaha!
GB: What’s your favourite sandwich or your favourite jacket potato filling?
B: Jacket potatoes are rank. Sandwich wise I’ll have a ploughman’s.
D: Easily a Mexican chicken wrap from Greggs for me.
L: My friend made me a sandwich while I was visiting last month that blew my mind. She made brie, bacon, chutney and rocket on rye bread, I was very sceptical, to begin with, but I absolutely loved it. Bold to say a sandwich you’ve tried once is your favourite, but it changed the butty game for me.
GB: What are the influences on your sound? We watched your YouTube videos and we hear The Jam and The Smiths. You have a very 80’s English sound, right?
B: My influences are all the Captains, Beefheart, Sensible and Birdseye! I wouldn’t say we’ve got an especially 80’s sound, we do like our jangly guitar pop, but there’s more to it than that. I listen to a very wide range of music and try to chuck in as much as possible to keep it fresh. I was also never that much of a Smiths fan, I’m far more into the Go-Betweens as far as 80’s indie bands go.
GB: If you could play a game of Monopoly or Trivial Pursuit with anyone from history, which person would you invite?
L: Monopoly with Karl Marx.
D: Yeah, I’d love a game of Monopoly with any of the hobbits from The Lord of the Rings films.
B: I take it a game of twister with Anne of Cleves is off the cards then?? I’d thrash Hitler at Trivial Pursuit, I don’t think he’d be a very good loser though, the wedges would be flying everywhere.
(Modern Marriage)
GB: A little bird tells me that you’ve also recorded a mini movie/documentary, soon to be released. Can you tell us what to expect and when can we see that?
L: It’s an interview combined with some performances of our favourite songs at Kneecap Jack’s in Thurstaston, which has been a really cool place for us over the last few months. It’s going to be boss, massive credit to Paul Dulac from Studio 38 who filmed and directed it. It was a lot of fun to be involved with. I wouldn’t expect A Hard Day’s Night or anything, “movie” is quite a grandiose term for it, but it’s a nice project that puts us out there, and lets people know who we are and what our music is about.
B: It’s called ‘Pie & Chips For Two‘.
GB: Once again thank you for giving us the chance to interview you, anything else you’d like to add?
D: Thanks so much for taking the time to interview us, I can’t wait to read it back. I just want to say a big thank you to anyone who has supported us on our journey so far, be that liking a post on our Facebook, following our Insta, or coming to see us play. Honestly, we appreciate it more than you can imagine.
L: As Dan just said, Thanks for the opportunity. Catch us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to find out where you can see us next on the links below.
D: ..also,‘ Pie & Chips For Two‘, our little documentary thing is out very soon, check our pages and ourYouTube channel for that.
B: I hope you all enjoy the album once it’s finished and we’ll see you all at Jimmy’s on the 15th… In the words of Ringo Star, ‘No autographs please!’
To buy tickets and to follow the band on social media click on the links below
